SPRINGDALE -- A regional planning committee finalized recommendations Thursday for spending some $6.8 million in federal transportation money for local projects.
The money is administered by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, which is made of representatives from Benton and Washington counties and cities in the counties.
A Piece of the Action
The Northwest Arkansas metro area became eligible July 18, 2012, for a share of federal Surface Transportation Program money for regionally significant projects after the urban population surpassed 200,000. The money is administered by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, serving as the Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is made of representatives from Benton and Washington counties and each city in the counties.
Source: Staff report
Planners are assuming money will be available from the federal Highway Trust Fund to pay for the projects. A local match is required, and the money, in most cases, will only pay for a portion of total cost of the projects. Any money not obligated in time goes back to the government.
"The bottom line objective is we don't want any of this money to go back," said Patsy Christie of Springdale, chairwoman of Regional Planning's Technical Advisory Committee.
Rogers is expected to get the lion's share of 2016 money, some $3.2 million for right of way, moving utilities and building a two-way center turn lane on Walnut Street between Dixieland Road and South Eighth Street. The project was ranked as the top priority by the advisory committee.
Springdale is expected to get $1 million for right of way, moving utilities and building a new section of Old Missouri Road from Randal Wobbe Lane to Arkansas 264. Springdale also is expected to get $300,000 for design and environmental work to extend Don Tyson Parkway from South 56th Street to Arkansas 112.
Fayetteville is expected to get $680,000 to help with the extension of Rupple Road. The money would be used for environmental mitigation, moving utilities and right of way acquisition for a section between Starry Night View and Mount Comfort Road.
Bentonville is expected to get $100,000 for design and environmental work to add a right turn lane at Southwest I Street and Southwest 14 Street to ease congestion.
Centerton is expected to get $80,000 for design and environmental work on new turn lanes and a signal at the North Main Street and Seba Road intersection. The improvements are needed to accommodate the expected increase in traffic when Bentonville opens a new high school nearby next year.
Ozark Regional Transit and Razorback Transit are expected to share $704,000 for new vehicles.
About $480,000 a year is dedicated to trail and alternative transportation projects, and cities submitted almost $2.2 million in requests for that 2016 money.
Rogers is expected to get $225,000 for a bike and pedestrian bridge on the Razorback Greenway at New Hope Road. The remainder of the money is expected to go to Springdale for Dean's Trail, phase I, which would connect the Jones Center with the city's trail system and the greenway. Springdale had asked for $1.2 million.
The recommendations go to the full regional planning commission next week for final approval.
Cities were asked to submit requests for projects planned over the next two years rather than the usual one year. The change was made to assure projects are lined up and ready to go when the money is available. If a project cannot be obligated in time, the money will be redistributed if possible to other projects that are ready.
Requests were for more money than is available, but Fayetteville agreed to move back a request for $1 million for Rupple Road work to the 2018 cycle to make the numbers work out.
Regional Planning gets about $200,000 a year for planning services.
NW News on 09/18/2015